Issue 3: October 2010

Until lions have their own historians, tales of the hunt shall glorify the hunter.
~ African Proverb

Contents

Chosen by Bryan Henery
The Letter of Marque by Catherine Lundoff
The Primate of Rome by Elizabeth Creith
Venezia Nova by Robert Wills
Resurrection by Doreen Perrine
Retro Ryder by Robert Caporale
Roman Sacrifice by Jasper Burns
The Watch-maker and the Pianist by Natasha Pulley
The Last King of Athens by Owen Dando
The Foreigner by Clare Ibarra
A Day for Burying by Mary Akers
The Silk Moth by Jessica Owen

Reviews
Selene of Alexandria by Faith L. Justice
Napoleon Concerto by Mark Mellon

Editor’s Introduction
Editing an online journal is nothing if not a learning experience. This past year has taught me plenty about prioritizing, goal-setting, and asking for favors: about formatting and PhotoShop: about the thousand deaths of Adolf Hitler and the love life of Caravaggio. I’m grateful to everyone who’s helped with publicity by blogging, reviewing, and offering adspace—one of the things I’ve learned is that I need you. I’m inexpressibly grateful to those of you who’ve offered your own time and skills to keep Lacuna running smoothly.

I’ve also learned some important lessons about managing submissions. I was nowhere near prepared for the number and quality of submissions Lacuna has received since last June, and my submissions process and policy need some serious revising.

One change you may have noticed already; this issue is jam-packed with fiction. With so many good stories to choose from, I’ve increased the number of stories per issue from nine to twelve.

Even so, I found myself buried by an overabundance of stories. To keep from filling issues two years in advance, Lacuna will have to periodically close to submissions. Our last closing ended on October 1. Our next one will begin on May 1, 2011. Writers, that’s a seven-month window to send in your work!

Finally, to keep response times from running to six months, I am instituting new “hold” procedure for submissions. Within a week after receiving a submission, I will either let the author know that the piece is not quite right for Lacuna, or I will ask for permission to hold the piece for a few months while I reach a decision. Hopefully this will make it possible to avoid wasting my time and yours.

Now, go and enjoy the issue!

~Megan Arkenberg

Questions, comments, or concerns may be e-mailed to the editor at markenberg[at]yahoo[dot]com. If you are interested in submitting fiction, poetry, or nonfiction to Lacuna, please see our submission guidelines.